The merging online and offline opportunities of twentieth-century art will take place in four sessions in Hong Kong, Paris, London, and New York and will be broadcast live.
The Coronavirus Pandemic continues to cross events off the art market calendar: Christie’s auction house has announced its decision to give up large evening trades in New York City (traditionally held in May and due to be postponed until June). Now instead of a series of auctions, there will be one, live broadcast from several cities.
“One: the global art auction of the twentieth century” will be held July 10 consecutively in Hong Kong, Paris, London, and New York and will combine Impressionism, modernism, post-war and contemporary art, and design. In each of the cities of the session will conduct its own auctioneer. All four sessions will be broadcast live.
“We believe this innovative solution is the best fit for the moment,” said a representative of Christie’s. – It will allow us to engage customers from around the world, offer them – as much as possible – the first-hand experience and make the most of our interactive tools”, said Christie’s speaker.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty around quarantine exits around the world, and the choice of a hybrid format that Christie’s promises will be available to “both offline and online audiences” is very insightful. A press release from the auction house states that in each of the four cities, “the auction will be preceded by public displays, organized in accordance with all the instructions that will be relevant at that time for each location,” and that “bids will be available online on Christie’s LIVE, and in addition, where instructions from regional authorities allow, auction halls will be open to customers and for telephone bids.
Christie’s continues to gather items for the upcoming auction, but it is already known that among the outstanding lots in New York – a painting by Pablo Picasso “Algerian Women” (version F) (17 January 1955) with the estimated amount $ 25 million, previously included in the collection of Sally and Victor Ganz, and then in the collection of Daniel and Elinor Bloch Seidenberg. Also included in the New York part of the auction is a canvas by Ed Rush “Annie” (1962), almost two meters high (estimated amount $ 20-30 million). Hong Kong will exhibit a huge red painting of Zao Wu-Ki “21.10.63”. (estimated amount $10 million).
Seven auctions of its London Classic Week, including auctions of old masters, 19th-century art, sculpture, furniture and applied arts, Christie’s is now set to be online in early July.
Meanwhile, Sotheby’s still has plans to hold the New York 20th Century Art Awards for the week starting June 29 (originally scheduled for the first half of May). “We expect that a number of restrictions will be lifted and the relevant authorities will confirm that we can act,” said the auction house’s press release. “Customers and visitors can certainly count on enhanced safety precautions to ensure the safety of our employees and visitors, as well as a variety of interesting and original solutions for those who want to see the lots before the auction and participate in the auction – from personal and online viewing to an enhanced virtual experience.
Sotheby’s outstanding items include “Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus” (1981) by Francis Bacon with an estimated $60 million and “Brushstroke” (1965) by Roy Lichtenstein with an estimated $20-30 million.
